email: hilary.pathway@ntlworld.comtel: 01189 612715mob: 07798 805069
  
 

 

 

 

    

My Top 12 Coaching Books

A personal selection of my favourite coaching books. All of these have had an impact on me as I have grown and developed as a coach and are all books I return to time and time again. If you enjoy my recommendations, or if your favourite coaching book does not appear on my list, then do let me know – you can contact me at hilary.pathway@ntlworld.com.

 

1. "Co-Active Coaching: New Skills for Coaching People Toward Success in Work and Life", Laura Whitworth, Henry Kimsey-House and Phil Sandahl, (Paperback, David-Black Publishing, 2007). The approach to coaching described in this book is that of a collaborative relationship which reflects the way I prefer to work. The book includes many useful tools for both personal and business coaching, including a list of powerful questions. New in the 2nd edition is a CD containing real-life coaching dialogues and forms from the tool kit.
2. "The NLP Coach: A Comprehensive Guide to Personal Well-Being and Professional Success", Ian McDermott & Wendy Jago, (Paperback, Piatkus, 2002). A self-coaching manual which offers a user-friendly guide to applying many NLP techniques as coaching tools. Ian McDermott runs ITS, a major NLP and coach training organisation. I was inspired to undertake my NLP and Coach training with ITS after reading this book.

3. "Coaching with NLP: How to be a Master Coach", Joseph O’Connor and Andrea Larges, (Paperback, Element Books, 2004). Another NLP coaching book by one of my favourite NLP writers, Joseph O’Connor. A practical book for those who wish to coach themselves or to coach others, it demystifies much of the NLP jargon and offers easy-to-follow explanations of many of the core tools and techniques.
4. "Performance Coaching: The Handbook for Managers, HR Professionals and Coaches", (Paperback, Crown House Publishing, 2003), Angus McLeod. A clear manual for coaches which draws together the best from a wide variety of coaching models and approaches. Again a practical book with lots of case studies and useful tips.
5. "Coaching for Performance: Growing People, Performance and Purpose", Sir John Whitmore, (Paperback, Nicholas Brealey Publishing Ltd, 3rd edition 2002). A classic text from one of coaching’s gurus which takes an action-focused approach. Offers useful material on the nuts and bolts of coaching and outlines the widely used GROW model. A good basic manual that has recently been updated.
6. "Effective Coaching: Lessons from the Coaches Coach", Myles Downey, (Paperback, Texere Publishing, 2nd edition 2003). An introductory primer which discusses the ‘art’ of coaching, focusing on the use of coaching in business. Includes useful case studies.
7. "The Inner Game of Tennis", W. Timothy Gallwey, (Paperback, Pan Books, New Ed. Edition, 1986). A slim and easily affordable little book from a hero of mine, who was one of the founding fathers of coaching. Written in 1975, it outlines Tim Gallwey’s theory of the Inner Game which has had a major influence on the philosophy and practice of coaching as it has developed over the past 30 years. If you read one Tim Gallwey book, read this one.
8. "The Inner Game of Work: Overcoming Mental Obstacles for Maximum Performance", W. Timothy Gallwey, (Paperback, Texere Publishing, New Ed edition, 2002). Tim Gallwey takes his Inner Game philosophy into the world of work – his aspiration is to realise genuine potential in every individual and organisation.
9. "The Coaching Manual: The Definitive Guide to the Process and Skills of Personal Coaching", Julie Starr, (Paperback, Prentice Hall, 2002). A practical book that offers guidance on the ‘whats’ and ‘hows’ of coaching – offering help with the principles, skills and behaviours as well as a handy toolkit for new coaches.
10. "Wishcraft: How to get what you really want", Barbara Sher and Annie Gottlieb, (Paperback, Ballantine Books, 2003). Written over 17 years ago, this slim and highly readable book remains one of the best and most inspiring self-help manuals around. The techniques offered can be adapted for use by both life and business coaches.
11. "Good Question! The Art of Asking Questions to Bring About Positive Change", Judy Barber (Paperback, Lean Marketing Press, 2005). The art of asking powerful questions is one of the keys to becoming a good coach. In this book Judy Barber brings together a wide range of coaches and experts in personal and business development to share their own favourite questions and insights. Packed full of wisdom, this is a book I return to again and again.
12. "Time to Think: Listening to Ignite the Human Mind", Nancy Kline, (Paperback, Cassell Illustrated, 1998). Another key skill for coaches is listening. In this wise and inspiring book, Nancy Kline helps the reader understand the transformative power of listening, really listening, and offers a methodology to help put the learning into practice.